www.socceramerica.com Holiday BreakPosted by Soccer America on Dec. 22, 12:00 a.m.We will be taking our annual Holiday break starting Dec. 22 and will not be posting any more news until Jan. 4. Happy holidays from all of us at Soccer America.» 0 Comments

Q&A with the SA Editors: Dec. 21, 1998Posted by Soccer America on Dec. 21, 12:00 a.m.Clint Nurnberg Springfield, Mo.Please put the Project-40 squad's recently successful tour of England into perspective for us. That they won all five matches suggests that Project-40 is accomplishing its objectives of developing young American players quickly into quality professionals. But I wonder if the English hosts opted not to put forward their best "feet" by fielding their lower quality ...» 0 Comments

14 American Referees, 11 Assistants Named to 1999 FIFA Officials ListPosted by Soccer America on Dec. 21, 12:00 a.m.FIFA has announced the list of international referees and referee assistants that will be eligible to officiate FIFA-sanctioned matches in 1999. The American contingent, which represents a total of approximately 100,000 registered officials in the United States, included 14 referees and 11 referee assistants. Here is a look at the U.S. representatives in the FIFA list: Referees -- Rich Grady ...» 0 Comments

Olympics: 28 Players Called to U-23 Team's January CampPosted by Soccer America on Dec. 21, 12:00 a.m.The U.S. men's U-23 national team will gather from Jan. 4-17 at the ARCO Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., for the first of what will be several training camps in 1999. The U-23 national team comprises the core of players that will compete for the U.S. during the CONCACAF qualifying phase for the right to participate in the 2000 ...» 0 Comments

Women's World Cup '99: Mexico Claims Final Berth with Win in ArgentinaPosted by Soccer America on Dec. 21, 12:00 a.m.Mexico made women's soccer history Dec. 19, defeating Argentina, 3-2, at Velez Sarsfield Stadium in Buenos Aires to earn the final berth in the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup. Mexico's Cinderella story has seen them rise from double-digit losses in qualifying for the 1991 and 1995 Women's World Cups, to a narrow 1-0 loss to Canada in this year's CONCACAF ...» 0 Comments

Copa America: Draw for Paraguay '99Posted by Soccer America on Dec. 21, 12:00 a.m.Here is the draw and schedule for the 1999 Copa America, to be held June 29-July 8 in Paraguay: Group A -- Paraguay, Peru, Japan, Bolivia. Group B -- Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Venezuela. Group C -- Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, Ecuador.

Schedule

MLS: Project-40 Squad Completes Five-Match Sweep of EnglandPosted by Soccer America on Dec. 21, 12:00 a.m.U.S. Pro-40 earned its fifth consecutive win on Dec. 19 with a 2-1 victory against the reserves from Sheffield United at the Manchester United Training Grounds. The victory marked a five-game international winning streak for the young Americans as they shut down all five of their English Premier and First Division reserve team opponents, outscoring them 10-2. U.S. Pro-40 midfielder ...» 0 Comments

U.S. Women: Foudy Hits Hat Trick as USA Thumps Ukraine 5-0Posted by Soccer America on Dec. 21, 12:00 a.m.Midfielder Julie Foudy scored her first career hat trick as the U.S. women's national team defeated Ukraine, 5-0, in sub-freezing temperatures at Bulldog Stadium on the campus of Fresno State University Dec. 20. The match was the last of 1998 for the U.S. women before they head into residency training camp in Orlando, Fla., beginning on Jan. 4. The USA ...» 0 Comments

Youth National Teams: Boys' U-17s Win Christchurch CupPosted by Soccer America on Dec. 18, 12:00 a.m.The U.S. Boys' U-17 national team hammered their South Korean counterparts, 5-1, Dec. 17 in Christchurch, New Zealand to win the 1998 Christchurch Cup international youth tournament. The six-team, round robin tournament featured the U-17 national teams from the USA, South Korea, South Africa, Tahiti, the Solomon Islands and New Zealand. U.S. forward Landon Donovan (Redlands, Calif.) was once again ...» 0 Comments

MIKE WOITALLA: Yeagley wins it for the gamePosted by Soccer America on Dec. 18, 12:00 a.m.One Indiana player in the 1998 final was alive when Jerry Yeagley coached the Hoosiers in their first NCAA final four. Defender Andrew Parrish was 8 months old when Indiana lost to San Francisco 1-0 in the 1976 championship game. When Yeagley's Hoosiers won their first title, his current players were still in kindergarten. The championship that Yeagley picked up ...» 0 Comments

MLS: Quinn to Coach San Jose Again in 1999Posted by Soccer America on Dec. 17, 12:00 a.m.Brian Quinn has agreed to a new one-year contract to continue as coach of the San Jose Clash. "As far as I'm concerned, Brian is still one of the best young coaches in America," said Clash GM Peter Bridgwater. "We're lucky to have him." Quinn, who at 38 remains the youngest coach in MLS, has a record of 26-32-3 in ...» 0 Comments

U.S. Men: Arena Announces Roster for January Training CampPosted by Soccer America on Dec. 17, 12:00 a.m.U.S. national team head coach Bruce Arena has announced the 26 players who have been invited to the first training camp of 1999, which will run from January 9-19 at a site to be determined in Florida. At the conclusion of the nine-day camp, an 18-player U.S. squad will travel to Santa Cruz, Bolivia to play the Bolivian national team ...» 0 Comments

U.S. Women: Youth Is Served in Closed-Door Victory over UkrainePosted by Soccer America on Dec. 17, 12:00 a.m.Playing with a roster consisting mostly of young players mixed with a few veterans, the U.S. women's national team used a long range goal by former Portland all-America Justi Baumgardt to come from behind and defeat Ukraine, 2-1, in a close-door match at North Field on the campus of UCLA. The USA has been training in Los Angeles in preparation ...» 0 Comments

European Cup Winners Cup

MLS: Burn's Alvarez, Kreis Undergo SurgeriesPosted by Soccer America on Dec. 16, 12:00 a.m.Dallas Burn midfielders Leonel Alvarez and Jason Kreis have both undergone successful surgeries this week. Alvarez flew to Boston for surgery for a chronic groin injury that plagued him for much of the 1998 season. The doctor performed a bilateral release of the adductor tendon. He now will have approximately six weeks of relative inactivity after which time he may ...» 0 Comments